Katrin Hiiepuu: being a trainer is both work and a hobby
At 22, Katrin Hiiepuu was already a trainer whose days revolved around BodyPump, TRX and group training. This article revisits her interview in a clearer format: how she became a trainer, what motivates her and what she recommends to anyone starting to exercise for their health.
Katrin Hiiepuu and her path to becoming a trainer
Katrin Hiiepuu was based at Status Club, where she taught BodyPump classes and also offered TRX personal training. At the time, TRX was still relatively new in Estonia: two straps, your own body weight and exercises that keep your core muscles working almost constantly.
She occasionally covered classes at other clubs in Tallinn, most often MyFitness and Arigato. She was also due to take an indoor cycling, or spinning, instructor course at the end of August, which would broaden her range of classes further.
Her route into working as a trainer began with group training. She attended classes regularly, caught Viktor Eks’s attention and received her first encouragement from him. Viktor noticed her good technique, although he did not yet know whether she had what it took to be a trainer. Katrin embraced the idea, as the profession had already seemed ideal to her: staying in good shape and earning a living through physical activity.
Education, experience and training background
She graduated from Tallinn Health Care College with a degree in health promotion. It complemented her work as a trainer well, because leading group training and personal training sessions is a very direct way of promoting health: you become more active, learn safer technique and can improve your physical fitness.
In the spring, she gained her Level I bodybuilding and fitness trainer qualification. Katrin put it simply: the foundation is there; the only way from here is forward.
Physical activity became part of her life at around 3-4 years old, when her father enrolled her in a drama and dance studio. She attended for about 8-9 years in total. Classical dance developed her posture, while acting gave her stage experience and confidence. Frankly, these are very practical skills for a trainer: you need to command the room, pay attention to people and use your voice to guide a group.
Later, she joined a fitness club and began attending group classes regularly. She started BodyPump at 15-16. That early experience helps explain why becoming a trainer was not a leap into the unknown for her.
Katrin Hiiepuu on the role of a trainer
Is being a trainer a job or a hobby? Katrin borrowed Sandra Raju’s words: your hobby is your job and your job is your hobby. She found this path at just 19 and considered herself very lucky. That does not mean a trainer cannot do other work, though. Even if she were not a trainer, she said she would still be at the fitness club just as often.
Are trainers born or made? Her answer was “a bit of both.” Certain qualities help: energy, a positive attitude and an ear for music. But most of it can be learned if you have a strong desire and a clear goal. You learn best through your own experiences.
She was cautious about the idea of an ideal trainer. To her, “ideal” sounds too final. If you had achieved perfection, there would be no room left to grow. The simple truth is that a good trainer keeps progressing, learning and looking for better ways to guide people.
She is not always in the trainer’s role. Sometimes she also enjoys being a participant, letting another trainer lead the class and taking something away to learn from. She observes how the other trainer uses vocal inflection, language and motivational techniques. It is professionally useful, as well as a change of pace.
Motivation, nutrition and rest
Even when Katrin was not spending time at the fitness club, she liked to stay active. Walking, running and inline skating were among her choices. She had recently added BodyRock.Tv’s 12-minute intensive workouts to her activities. The more varied her training, the more interesting she found it.
The people she trained motivated her. Just as participants draw energy from a trainer, the trainer draws energy from the group. She might arrive at a class feeling tired after already completing 2 workouts, but seeing a new group waiting for their next class brought her energy back. Trainers are human too, but she said every workout brought her joy in her work.
At the time, the only supplements she used were Omega-3 capsules. During more intensive periods of training, she had also used recovery drinks. Her everyday breakfast often included eggs, boiled or fried, along with ham or bacon. She did not follow a set meal plan, choosing instead to listen to her body.
She had settled into a pattern of eating about every 3-4 hours. If the gap grew longer, she would have a protein bar, cottage cheese or some fruit as a snack. Her fridge was always stocked with cottage cheese, eggs, tomatoes and cucumbers.
She considered eating sweets her worst habit. Hmm… she simply loves sweet things. Books were her preferred way to unwind. True relaxation meant having the chance to read several good books that had been waiting their turn.
For her, a holiday meant Muhu island and the family farm: nature, fresh air, the scent of hay and deafening silence. That description says a lot. Some people recharge by getting away from the noise, rather than starting a new workout plan.
Katrin Hiiepuu’s advice for beginners
Katrin viewed the average Estonian’s interest in recreational exercise from two perspectives. In her day-to-day work, she saw active people. Looking at the broader picture, however, only a fifth of Estonia’s adult population regularly exercises for health 2-3 times a week. On that basis, she considered the average Estonian fairly inactive.
For anyone starting to exercise for health, she recommended persistence, determination and motivation. Goals are there to be pursued. Her message was clear: “Taking small steps toward big goals means much to gain and little to lose”. (J.G. Seume)
Her lasting memory of PE at school was not of one particular lesson, but of an incident involving her teacher, who was also her class teacher. The whole class went to the teacher’s home to celebrate a milestone birthday 2 months too early. Sometimes moments like these stay with you more vividly than any fitness standard or grade.
For her, being in ideal shape means feeling truly happy and content in your own body. It shows in your confidence and the way you carry yourself. When it came to her own body, she did not favor one area over another: every part contributes to the whole that makes her who she is.
FAQ
Who is Katrin Hiiepuu?
Katrin Hiiepuu is a trainer who led BodyPump workouts and TRX personal training sessions at Status Club. She has studied health promotion at Tallinn Health Care College.
What types of workouts did Katrin Hiiepuu lead?
She taught BodyPump classes, provided TRX personal training and was also working toward taking a spinning instructor course. She also covered classes at MyFitness and Arigato.
What advice did she give to beginners exercising for health?
She recommended persistence, determination and motivation. You work toward big goals by taking small steps, rather than one oversized leap.
Author:Turg.Fitness.ee
Come work out! ArtGym
